Gathering of Native Americans (GONA) Trainer Guide

Table of Contents

I.Introduction
II.Philosophical Overview
III.Values of the Gathering of Native Americans Curriculum
IV.Target Audience
V.Pre­Registration
VI.Registration
VII.GONA Training Coordinator (TC) Job Description
VIII.GONA Trainer Qualifications
IX.Trainer Preparation
X.Evaluation Process
XI.Regional Cultural Considerations in Opening Ceremonies
XII.Logistical Considerations
XIII.Module Overview
XIV.Trainer Outline Summary-AGENDA


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I. Introduction

 The Federal government through the Center for Substance Abuse Prevention (CSAP) has initiated a Community Partnership Training (CCPT) Project to assist Community Partnership grantees in support of community efforts to reduce and prevent alcohol and other drug abuse. Approximately 250 Community Partnerships across the country and Puerto Rico were funded, including approximately 15 American Indian specific Community Partnerships. Under contract with CSAP, Macro International Inc., and Circle Solutions, Inc., were tasked to develop and deliver a variety of training activities to the Community Partnerships. These include a 5­day Community Partnership Institute; the Multicultural Leadership Institute; The Institute for Partnership Development (IPD); a variety of 1- and 2-day Community Training Workshops; also underway are four culturally specific institutes. The Native American component of the culturally specific institutes is called the "Gathering of Native Americans" (GONA).

The Macro/Circle team has primary responsibility for developing the culturally specific institutes. To ensure the GONA curriculum is developed by and for Native Americans, a team of Native American substance abuse prevention trainers and curriculum developers was assembled to work on the development of the GONA training curriculum. Macro issued a subcontract to Kauffman and Associates, Inc. (KAI), a 100 percent American Indian-owned firm, to coordinate the curriculum development. A needs assessment was conducted which included eight focus groups and one national planning meeting to determine the parameters of this curriculum. Finally, a Core Curriculum Committee of Native American substance abuse prevention trainers and educators was convened providing Native thought, perspective, and ownership of the curriculum. These individuals include:

Theda New Breast Ramos
John Bird
Cecilia Fire Thunder
Terry Tafoya
Patricia Martin
Gene Giron
JoAnn Kauffman
Catherine Reimer


A special thanks is due for our CSAP Project Officer, Susan Hailman, the CCPT Project Director, Joseph Motter, and the CCPT Curriculum Development Manager, Richard Stephan. Thanks is also due to Circle Solutions, Inc., for their assistance in delivering the GONA training to communities and pilot sites.

The four days of the GONA curriculum incorporate the value of these four levels of human growth and responsibility which are found in Native culture:


Belonging:A place for all ages, a place for all kinds of people. The first day represents infancy and childhood, a time when we need to know how we belong.
Mastery:Empowerment, for individual and for community. The second day honors adolescence as a time of vision and mastery.
Interdependence:Action, Community leadership. The third day is symbolized by adults, integral and interdependent within their families and communities.
3
Generosity:Teacher/Elder, and resources in the community. The final day honors our elders, who give their knowledge and teachings to our generations of the future.


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II. Philosophical Overview

 The curriculum committee identified the following philosophical assumptions of the Gathering of Native Americans:
  1. Capacity building for Indian people who intend to become change agents, community developers, witnesses, and leaders.
  2. Community healing IS prevention.
  3. Healthy traditions ARE prevention. We will provide a framework of healthy traditions, spirituality, ritual, and ceremony, which is fundamental to effective prevention.
  4. Holistic approach to wellness, interconnectedness, and interdependence shows that the "systems approach" was traditionally ingrained in Native American belief systems (Balance and Harmony)-Inclusive and everyone and everything is of value.
  5. Present a correct history of the important role Indians play in American history, culture, and government, and examine the historical trauma that impacts our struggle and recovery today.
  6. Effective prevention must include the grassroots community. We must ensure a balance of "roots with suits." Top-down/bottom-up paradigm shift for empowerment. The message needs to come from the community. Everyone is of value in the community healing process. Everyone has a purpose.
  7. Influence and empower individuals to understand the importance of their role in the holistic universe.
  8. Honor, respect, and incorporate ceremonies, rituals, and spiritual teachings of the people, "honoring the purpose of life."
  9. Effective prevention provides means for feelings and healings to translate to actions or different behaviors (corrective emotional experience).
  10. We will create a safe place, forum, and format for communities to share, heal, and dialogue.

GOALS OF THE TRAINING:

  1. To provide a training experience that offers hope, encouragement, and a positive basis for Native community action.
  2. To provide Native communities with a framework to examine historical trauma and its impact on alcohol and substance abuse issues today.
  3. To provide a training experience that emphasizes skills transfer and community empowerment.
  4. To present a prevention strategy framework that is based on values inherent in traditional Native cultures such as belonging, mastery, interdependence, and generosity.5

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III. Values of the Gathering of Native Americans Curriculum

Guiding Principles to Practical Application of GONA:
  1. We will ensure that information or presentations that open people up must provide a time for processing and closure.
  2. Community-based "teams" will be encouraged to attend as a group, in order to affirm and strengthen the knowledge, skills, and abilities of community teams through the application of cross­learning.
  3. A "Training of Trainers" or "Training of Facilitators" model is essential to facilitate community-based empowerment through skills transference.
  4. Training methods will use culturally appropriate learning activities, emphasizing experiential and visual experiences, through the use of intuition, creativity, depth, and light humor accommodated by a pace of comfort, flexibility, tempo, and a variety of experiences, i.e., outdoor activities.
  5. Training will integrate local and regional rituals and ceremonies to reinforce training goals, as appropriately approved locally, to respect the diversity of Indian values, beliefs, and traditions.
  6. Values clarification through rituals is an important process and communities can recreate or rediscover healthy rituals and ceremonies to reinforce and maintain their beliefs.
  7. Location of training will ensure a safe environment that nurtures and validates the healing process and allows participants "to break the silence."
  8. Trainers must commit to the model of "walk the talk" and be credible.
  9. Trainers will ensure the opportunity to build, expand, and mend relationships; create bonding through social commitment and support (skill building and empathetic listening); and enhance the traditional communication skills and customs.
  10. Laughter and humor is healing, and will be modeled in training, recognizing that personal growth and healing are achieved in multiple ways.

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IV. Target Audience
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V. Pre­Registration

 Before attending, participants will receive the following in a mailout:

A) A description of the GONA Training announcing the dates, site, and host partnership for the gathering.

B) Suggestions of preparation rituals participants can go through: journaling; drawing; sweats.

C) A request for expectations that the participants have that can be returned during registration.

D) Encourage community teams to attend as a team and include on pre-registration forms, "How do you describe your team?" Try to balance teams by gender, age, and role in the community.
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VI. Registration
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VII. GONA Training Coordinator (TC) Job Description

Qualifications

Duties


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VIII. GONA Trainer Qualifications

 "We would like to share some history with those interested in delivering the GONA Curriculum. The Gathering of Native Americans (GONA) development team worked to create the curriculum over 24 months. The development team suggests that Trainers and Facilitators delivering the GONA curriculum should meet the following criteria:
To accomplish the goals and objectives of the GONA curriculum we have developed a variety of teaching styles, and experiential exercises which we hope will give participants a broader opportunity for learning, feeling and healing. As trainers, each of us have different skills. Some of these activities might be a challenge for you, but we hope you will reach beyond your usual comfort level and expand your facilitation skills to include some of these activities in the GONA curriculum:
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IX. Trainer Preparation Meeting

 At least two days should be set aside in advance of the GONA to allow trainers to team build, to fully understand the curriculum, to know their assignments for each module and to be able to ask and get answers to questions about the curriculum or any of the resource materials. The TC takes lead responsibility to move the Prep meeting along.

SAMPLE AGENDA for a successful Trainer Preparation Meeting:

DAY ONE:

Prayer or Other Opening.

Talking Circle or other means for Trainers to "check-in", and all trainers to get centered among themselves prior to attempting to deliver the GONA. This activity should be given ample time, and could take up to 1/2 day.

NORM Setting for the Group. Open discussion to agree upon what the norms of the training team will be. How we agree to treat each other.

Review the Two Day agenda and agree upon PRIORITY issues in case the group runs out of time to deal with everything.

"Walk Through" the Curriculum (This is perhaps the most important activity for the trainers. They need to understand the flow of the modules, they need to know their assignments and if they are teamed with other trainers, and to understand how they need to prepare.)

DAY TWO:

Prayer or Other Opening

Brief Check-In to make sure everyone is ready to work

Continue "Walk Through" of curriculum

Review Evaluation process and trainer participation

Discussion of the Spirit House and resources within the Spirit House

Trainer Feed-back Forms need to be filled out every day

Logistical Considerations of GONA and Inspection of Facilities

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X. Evaluation Process

 Trainers will be involved in the administration of the Evaluations. Evaluation forms will be distributed to each trainer for as many participants as that trainer has been assigned. Trainers need to spend approximately 15 minutes in the first morning of the GONA to reinforce the importance of completing the GONA evaluation.

YELLOW form is filled out by each participant upon registration.

PURPLE form is filled out by each participant on the last day of the GONA.

GREEN form is optional, and participants can volunteer to be contacted at four months and six months for follow-up evaluation interviews by telephone.

There are numeric codes for the forms, which correspond with the codes for each participant. There should be consideration to use other forms of coding, such as animals or plants with numbers to make this less sterile and more personal.
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XI. Regional Cultural Considerations in Opening Ceremonies

The training team should discuss in advance how the Opening Ceremonies for each day will be conducted in a way that is inclusive of the various cultures and values represented by the PARTICIPANTS. Consideration should be given to the various communities attending and efforts made to bring in elders or others to help with the ceremonies.
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XII. Logistical Considerations

 Trainers Manuals/Transparencies: One manual per trainer will be needed. Preferably these should be received and reviewed by each trainer in advance of the GONA conference. Each trainer should also be given a copy of all the transparencies for each of the GONA modules to keep with their manuals.

Participant Manuals: One manual per each participant should be provided upon on-site registration. The participants should be told to write their names on the cover of the manual, and to try to keep the manual with them through-out the training.

Conference Signs: At least two (2) conference signs should be posted in advance of the beginning of the GONA to welcome participants.

On Site Registration Forms: Forms for participants to register on-site must be available prior to opening the registration table.

Registration Materials: In addition to registration forms, the registration desk should have available the following supplies: stationary and envelopes; pens (36); pen basket; pads (12); consultant agreements as needed; name badge holders; wire mesh basket; certificates; blank certificates; reimbursement forms; reimbursement tracking sheets; roster of participants; name badges; 5x7 index cards; Native American tapes for listening time; colored adhesive dots for badges and team identification; color transparencies. It is also important to have one box of kleenex tissues at each team table, particularly for day two of the GONA.

Spirit House (Healing Center): A place needs to be set aside from the general meeting area, called a "spirit house or healing center", but you can rename it what you like. This place is a safe place for individuals to get away for prayer, meditation or discussion with another. The spirit house should be equipped with objects or resources that are appropriate for the people participating in the GONA, such as a bible; an eagle feather; sage; shell; tobacco; cedar; water; affirmations; The Big Book; or other materials. One person (trainer, or TC) should be assigned IN ADVANCE about how to set up and take care of the spirit house.

Arts and Crafts: A variety of craft materials will be needed for the GONA, for the making of Team Shields and also for the making of individual gifts. These materials are displayed on several tables and participants can use them as they move through the modules. There should be enough for all participants to make their own gift.

Arts and Crafts materials should include: scissors; numerous colors of thread; needles; Elmers glue; glue sticks; velcro; twine; fake fur; various pieces of cloth in different native pattern; various colors of pipe cleaners; cowrie shells; dentiliium shells; various sizes and colors of beads; horse hair; pieces of leather; small jingle bells; fake eagle feathers (rationed due to expense); various colors of ribbon; different colors of felt; feather plumes; poster board (one for each team); thin dowels (10); thin embroidery floss; metallic yarn; safety pins; straight pins; mini sewing kits; ric rac, 40 wire earring holders, glitter; and anything else appropriate for your region or culture.

Rocks: A letting go ceremony is held on the second day. One option is to let the participants find their own rock outside (if time permits and the group is small enough to do this). Another option is to collect the rocks in advance. In this case the trainers need to decide how these rocks will be gathered. It should be noted that different regions will have different approaches to rocks, some cultures may not believe in moving a rock, while other will pick up and keep a rock. Another option is to find one large rock, the "mother rock" which can be used by all participants in a ceremony to give their pain to the rock. All options should be allowable and encouraged in the curriculum. But logistics needs to consider that rocks are needed for day two.

Slide Projector: Placed at the front center of the large gathering room for slides used in several of the stories.

Overhead Projector: Placed at the front center of the large gathering room for transparencies used in most of the modules. Transparencies should be made from the hard copies attached behind the "Resources" tab following each module in the Trainers Manual.

Several Microphones: A microphone should be used for 30 or more people. We need to be respectful to those who may be hard of hearing and try to use the microphone. One microphone should be at the front of the room and at least one available for participants to use in giving feedback. It is important to have on site at least two high quality lavaliere lapel microphones which could be worn for story telling, or to wander among the group for open discussion sessions. A quality sound system is needed appropriate for the size of the GONA.

Tape Player: This is needed for playing tapes during quiet working periods of the curriculum (making of the shields, family charts, etc.) Ideally, the tape player should be able to feed into the overall PA system and be continuous play or automatic reverse.

Polaroid Camera and Film: Film and cameras are needed to take a picture for each of the participants upon registration. Two cameras are ideal to avoid back-up during registration. These pictures will be posted on a wall so that other participants can write affirmative statements about that person as they get to know them during the week. During the "closure" on the last day, participants receive their pictures along with affirmation statements written about them by fellow participants. This serves as their certificate of attendance. Individuals who DO NOT WANT THEIR PICTURE TAKEN, should be respected and given the OPTION to write their name on the card to hand in with the other pictures.

Construction Paper and Tape: Pictures will be glued onto a half-size piece of construction paper and posted on a wall. Multicolored paper is recommended, but do not use dark or black colors because it is difficult to read the comments.

Participants Supplies: Each participant should receive one participant manual and a list of participant names with addresses. Pens and pencils should also be provided. In addition, each "Community Team" must be identified and each participant should be informed upon registration which team they are in. Team names should be displayed on a Tent Card on the team table and smaller cards at the registration table for those registering as teams.

Trainer Supplies: Each trainer should have one Trainer's Manual, one set of transparencies for each of the modules, a set of colored markers, a role of masking tape, and one tablet of large newsprint on an easel. Also each gets two balls of yarn for the interdependence exercise on day three. A "tent card" should be set up identifying a space or table for the trainers. They should also have a tent card for "Resource Materials."

Resource Materials: Through-out the GONA trainers will need to have access to various resources. A special place should be set aside for trainers to find these resources and prepare for their modules. Some of the resources which should be made available at this table include: Two yarn balls for each trainer for module #7; "According to Coyote" hand-outs; masking tape and markers; "F" Cards for module #3; 15 Broken Squares for module #2; Trainer Feedback forms (a different color for each day); Blind Folds (enough for one per participant) for module #2; candles and matches for the Commitment Candles Ceremony in module #8, each marked with one of the following sub-community identifiers: "Law Enforcement," "Schools," "Tribal Council," "Recovery Community," "Elders," "Treatment Counselors," "Housing," "Active Drinkers/Users," "Youth," "Religious/Spiritual Leaders," etc., or any other sub-community identifier appropriate for the GONA.

Video Tapes: The use of tapes in the curriculum is important to break-up the activities for participants. The following tapes have been used with success in GONA trainings and are recommended here. Other videos can be substituted to achieve cultural appropriateness for each region, as long as trainers take not to achieve the "learning objectives" specified for that module. The following tapes should be on hand prior to the GONA:
  1. Module #5--One of the following three optional tapes:
  2. Module #3--"Zea" Tape is Optional to "F" Exercise
  3. Module #8--"Native American Prevention Against AIDS" (optional)

Drum(s): A drum will be needed for the opening drum calls, storytelling and for other purposes. A second drum should be provided also, which will be given to the host community.

Handicapped Accessibility: Logistics planners must ensure that the training sites, break-out rooms, hotel rooms, restrooms and other facilities which will be used by the trainers and participants meet all accessibility requirements.
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XIII. Module Overview

DAY ONE: BELONGING

Module #1: "Belonging: All My Relations" (Show Transparencies T-1.4 and T-1.5 during overview of Module #1).

Module #2: "Belonging: Family/Team Building"

Module #3: "Belonging: Identity with Cultural Strengths"

DAY TWO: MASTERY

Module #4: "Mastery: Starting the Path"

Module #5: "Mastery: Historical Context"

Module #6: "Mastery: Rites of Passage"

DAY THREE: INTERDEPENDENCE

Module #7: "Interdependence: Responsibilities"

Module #8: "Fostering Personal and Community Development"

DAY FOUR: GENEROSITY

Module #9: "Generosity: Tradition of Giving Back to Community"

Module #10: "Community Give Away"


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XIV. Trainer Outline Summary-AGENDA

DAY ONE-Module 1: "Belonging: All My Relations"-Large Group

I. Activity/Full Group: Drum Call. Local drum group or trainer. (15 minutes)
II. Storytelling: (5 minutes)
III. Introduction: "All My Relations" (35 minutes)
IV. Storytelling: "Creation Story" (25 minutes)
V. Exercise: The Belmont Processing Exercise (40 minutes)
BREAK (20 minutes)

DAY ONE-Module 2: "Belonging: Family/Team Building"-Break­Out

I. Establish Team Norms/Team Break­Outs (10 minutes)
II. Define Team Building and How to Create "Family" (15 minutes)
III. Interactive: Experiential Activities (30 minutes)
LUNCH (12 noon to 1:30 p.m.)
III. Continued: Return to Break­Out by Community Teams-Teams begin shield-making assignment (45 minutes).
IV. Exercise/Full Group: Sharing Our Shields: Facilitator will gather every participant back into the larger group (30 minutes).
BREAK (20 minutes)

DAY ONE-Module 3: "Belonging: Identity with Cultural Strengths"-Large Group and Break-Out

I. Lecture/Exercise/Full Group: Mini-Teach and Discussion: "Native Cultural Values and Perceptions: Facilitating the 3­F's Exercise" OR show the video "ZEA" (15 minutes)
II. Lecture/Full Group: Mini-Teach and Discussion: "Perceptions and Prejudice within our own Communities" (15 minutes)
III. Exercise: Option: Native Culture Walk (60 minutes)

Option: Team Values
IV. Closure: Return to full group (20 minutes)

DAY TWO-Module 4: "Mastery: Starting the Path"-Large Group

I. Activity/Full Group: Drum Call, Opening Ceremony (15 minutes)
II. Storytelling: Legend about "The Origin of Basket" (10 minutes)
III. Discussion/Full Group (20 minutes)
IV. Mini­Lecture/Full Group: Understanding the Family Chart (20 minutes)
V. Activity/Individual: Beginning the Family Chart (30 minutes)
VI. Closure/Process: (10 minutes)
BREAK (20 minutes)

DAY TWO-Module 5: "Mastery: Historical Context"-Large Group

I. Mini­Teach and Video: Define multigenerational trauma and cultural oppression (45 minutes, includes 30 minutes of video)
  • First half of video (Wiping the Tears) and discussion
II. Exercise/Individual: Mind Map-what broke apart the Indian world? (20 minutes)
LUNCH (90 minutes)
III. Video/Discussion: Resiliency Factors-what holds our world together (45 minutes, including 30 minute video)
  • Second half of video (Wiping Tears) and discussion


IV. Exercise/Option of Large or Small Groups: Rock exercise for closure, transition, letting go (45 minutes)
  • Story of Rock
  • Explain the symbolic closure of the ritual
BREAK (20 minutes)

DAY TWO-Module 6: "Mastery: Rites of Passage"-Large Group

I. Storytelling/Full Group: Death and Rebirth story, i.e., The Widow as Butterfly (10 minutes)
II. Guided Visualization/Full Group: Imagery for rite of passage (20 minutes)
III. Diads: Discussion about renewal and rebirth from trauma (10 minutes)
IV. Closure (10 minutes)

DAY THREE-Module 7: "Interdependence: Responsibilities"-Large Group & Teams

I. Activity/Full Group: Drum Call and Opening Ceremony (10 minutes)
II. Play/Full Group: Traditional Native stories of the Northwest are consolidated in the play "According to Coyote" (60 minutes)
BREAK (20 minutes)
III. Exercise in Teams: Interdependence and Renewal Strategies (45 minutes)
IV. Lecture/Teams: Teaching Quotes (20 minutes) slides, people from audience
LUNCH (120 minutes)

DAY THREE-Module 8: "Fostering Personal and Community Development"

I. Storytelling/Full Group: Coyote and the Blood Monster (15 minutes)
II. Mini-Teach/Full Group: What is Native Community Wellness? (30 minutes) Optional Video: "The Native American Prevention Project Against AIDS and Substance Abuse" (25 minutes)
III. Exercise/Mixed Rounds: Active Community Development (1 hour, 15 minutes) To identify strengths and challenges or a framework of "community" based on the principles of resiliency.

Use: Community Wheel (CCPT)
  1. Develop the Community Wheel
  2. Then identify strategies of how to utilize their resiliency factors
BREAK (20 minutes)
IV. Exercise/Team or Full Group: Commitment Candles (60 minutes)

DAY FOUR-Module 9: "Generosity: Tradition of Giving Back to Community"

I. Activity/Full Group: Drum Call (10 minutes)
II. Exercise/Teams: Review Team Shield/Values/Plans (60 minutes)
BREAK (20 minutes)
III. Exercise/Full Group: Regional Sharing of Plans (45 minutes)
IV. Exercise/Mixed Rounds: Sharing Regional Resources (30 minutes)
LUNCH (60 minutes)

DAY FOUR-Module 10: "Community Give Away"-Large Group

I. Lecture/Full Group: Directions to participants (15 minutes)
II. Ceremony/Exercise/Full Group: Give Away (45 minutes)
III. Exercise/Full Group: Open Expression (30 minutes)
BREAK (20 minutes)
IV. Evaluation/Full Group: Self-Administered Form (15 minutes)
V. Closing Ceremony: Presentation by the Host Partnership (30 minutes)